Page 49 - Studio International - January 1969
P. 49

DAVID EVISON. Slate levels was made last
          winter. It started from the ground and was
          added to in layers until a stage was reached
          where I could recognize what was needed.
          I go through the process of sculpture work,
          which is rather like starting from scratch all
          over again, in order to reach this stage. It is
          here that I recognise my concerns, as though I
          draw what I want to express from what I
          have done. Although this rationale is in
          retrospect and could be suspect if used as a
          precedent for future work, it is in its belief that
          I find my reason for making sculpture.

















          David Evison Slate levels 1968
          wood, painted grey and white, and slates
          67 x 96 x 120 in.





          From notes '67/8                          Barry Flanagan


                                                    Object sculptures, and their configurations   uses his faculties to edit out any distractions
          dating from observations made in March '67   within that convention put in a room to be   and confusions to maintain a positive
          about three sculptures for Paris Biennale   seen is the habitual way of thinking about   relationship within that convention.
          (Studio International September '67).     the 'exhibition'. The ideal state is when each   As soon as any one object loses its
                                                    object commands an equal attention to the   autonomous identity by statement and
                                                    next, due to its very own identity/separation   intention things begin to happen; the whole
                                                    as an object. When not in this ideal state the   situation is affected and the nature of
          A = object  Hi - exhibition area          observer (accepting the whole convention)    `exhibition' altered.

                                                    If within the terms of this diagram I state   another diagram, without actually
                                                    that two of the objects are not of the type   articulating the change in state, we get
                            Objects claiming        claiming autonomous identity and draw     fig. 2, which is the same.
                            autonomous identities
                            on exhibition

                                                    If I do articulate the change in state (i.e.   of the autonomous type, the diagram
                                                    if those objects articulate their new state)   becomes fig. 3 and the claim is
                                                    of the two objects claimed to be other than   substantiated.




                                                    But then the whole situation is effected   qualifying that space. Once liberated from
                                                    within the finite space, i.e. the visible   the invested autonomous identity an
                                                    `room'. Without that singularity of       object operates with any object (visually),
                                                    identity, the medium of operation of an    not just its chosen one (by way of literary
                                                    object is actual space and anything        mechanics).


                                                    Due to autonomous claims by some objects   Without the literary investiture of identity,
                                                    in a mixed situation, there is much 'literary   things seen (matter/stuff) become truly visual
                                                    argument' and a high measure of visual    in the whiteness of space/light (the medium of
                                                    confusion. Notions of identity are the last   the perception). Then a larger visual order may
                                                    tethers to literary process.               be articulated, unframed by literary process.
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